Stronger Than That
by crooked-little-smile
Summary: Elena has made a decision, and it is time for her to inform the Salvatore brothers. How does her decision effect her relationship with those that she loves and will she even live long enough to seek the rewards of her decision?


First and foremost I want to remind all of you that I do not own Vampire Diaries nor do I intend any copyright infringement. Secondly, this is my first posted Vampire Diaries fanfiction and I hope that it is good.

**Elena has made a decision, and it is time for her to inform the Salvatore brothers. How does her decision affect her relationship with those that she loves and will she even live long enough to seek the rewards of her decision?**

I sat in the lounger in the parlor at the boarding house and waited for the Salvatore brothers. They would be here any second now and I took a fortifying sip of whiskey to steal my nerves. My hand was still shaking at the thought of their reactions and I signed as I ran my hand through my hair to hide it. I jumped when I heard the door open, then close and I listened to the sounds of two set of steps.

"Elena?" Stefan shouted and I started to say something but Damon spoke up.

"She's in the parlor." He said and I wondered how he knew. "Elena." Damon said with a nod in my direction as he poured himself a drink and took a seat in the chair opposite me. I watched him eye my drink. "Did you get into the good stuff?"

"Elena." Stefan sighed, pulling my gently to him and kissing me on the lips, so briefly that I wondered if our skin even made contact. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, but the three of us need to talk about something." I said and watched him take a seat. "You both agreed that we would do things my way, right?" I asked and they both nodded. "I want to be a vampire." I said in one quick breath, getting it out as soon as possible.

"No." Stefan said immediately. "Elena, you're only saying this to protect your family. You wouldn't choose this if Klaus wasn't involved."

"I know that." I said and he looked stunned, like he had expected me to lie about why I had chosen this, that I had decided that I wanted to spend forever with him. "I know exactly why I'm saying this, Stefan. I can't protect everyone I love if I'm human, I can't even protect myself."

"I'll protect you, Elena." He said.

"I want to be able to protect myself!" I said angrily.

"I won't do it." He snapped turning away from me and just as easily I turned to Damon.

"What makes you think I will?" He scoffed at me.

"You once said that you would be the bad guy for me." I said to him and he frowned. "You said that you would be the one that would keep me alive at the end of the day even if I hated you for it. Well I won't hate you Damon. I want this to happen."

"No you don't Elena." He said shaking his head. "You're rushing into this decision because your scared. If you really wanted this, then maybe. But you don't."

"Compel me then." I said, grasping the vervain necklace and jerking it off my neck. Then I pulled the herb out of my pocket and I slipped off my shoes where I had hidden some as well. "Compel me to be totally honest and ask me if I really want this. Ask me if I rushed into this decision." I let the necklace drop to the table and suddenly Stefan was in front of me.

"I told you never to take that off." He growled and grabbed me by the shoulders. I actually winced at the force he used when he shook me and I felt my back teeth smack together.

"Stefan, that hurts." I said quietly and his grip only got tighter.

"You can't do it, Elena. I won't let you."

"Stefan stop!" I cried and suddenly Damon threw Stefan across the room, he smacked into the bookshelf before he fell to the ground. Stefan was staring at me with eyes full of shock and guilt.

"Don't you see?" I asked him, falling back into the chair and I brought my legs up to my chest. "I can't even protect myself from you." I said so quietly that I barely even heard it, though I knew he would. In an instant he had darted out of the house and I was left staring at the open bay window.

"I already drank Elijah's blood." I said and Damon's eyes snapped to mine. "But I want your blood too. I don't want to be what Elijah is. Not entirely."

"I want one honest answer while your compelled to be truthful." He said. "And I have conditions."

"What are they?" I asked him.

"I want to drink from your throat, and you from mine. And you will drink from living humans." He said and I started to protest. "I won't let you kill anyone, Elena, but if you're doing this to be strong, then I won't allow you to weaken yourself with bagged blood or animal blood. Do you understand?" He asked and I thought about it. After a moment I nodded. It was logical.

My eyes widened when he stepped closer to me and I took a deep breath before I looked him dead in the eyes. I watched his eyes dialate and I became my entire body instantly relax.

"I want you to be completely honest with me." He said and I felt the compulsion to my bones. He was seriously concentrating.

"Honest." I found myself repeating back to him.

"Are you in love with me?" He asked and for a moment I considered fighting the compulsion.

"Yes." I whispered, not able to take my eyes from his. I watched his eyes slowly sink shut and he pressed his forehead to mine. The second he closed his eyes the compulsion lifted and I sighed in relief.

"Are you still going to do it?" I asked him quietly, staring at the wall over his shoulder. He pulled a pocket knife from his pocket and in a flash he had made a deep cut on his throat.

"Quickly, Elena, or it'll heal." He said and I rushed to seal my lips over the flowing blood. I closed my eyes at the unfamiliar but not unpleasant taste and took my first draw, and then my second. Too quickly the skin knitted together and I bit down on his flesh, until blood spilled again. I heard him groan and his hands clenched on my hips. After a few more pulled I was pushed up against the wall and he held me there, breathing hard.

"I'm sorry." I whispered to him, gulping in air almost as greedily as I had his blood. I dropped my head up against the wall behind me and sighed.

"Don't worry about it," He said. "You've never had vampire blood when your body didn't need serious healing."

"I-is it always like that?" I asked him. He shrugged. I bit my lip as I reached up to pull my hair to the side, revealing the side of my throat to him.

"You have until I'm done feeding to change your mind, Elena." He said spinning me around so I was facing the wall, and my back was pressed tight to his front.

"I'm not changing my mind, Damon." I said just as quietly and white hot sensation seared through me as his fangs pierced my skin and he began to drink. It was like ever pull of my blood had my entire body tensing like a coil, ready to spring free, only I didn't. I continued to be wound tighter and tighter until my nails were digging into his thighs behind me, my breath came out in shallow pants and I felt like I was about to explode.

He began to growl, which turned into a tortured roar of fury before suddenly his hand cupped my chin and the back of my head and a quick twist and-

**I hope you were all surprised! I'm not having Elena pick a brother just yet. Please let me know what you think, becasue there will be more!**


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